Crane and other hoisting apparatus.



A. WILSON &. J. ROBSON.

CRANE AND OTHER HOISTING APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT.29, 1913.

1,1 39,9442 Patented-May 18, 1915;

' I '2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

. I ffi W//70/7 A. W iLS ON &. J. ROBSON. CRANE AND OTHER HOISTlNG APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT.29 1 913- 1,139,94A.

Patented May 18, 1915.

H 0 m fl z w m .3 v frW UNrrn s'rn'rns rn'rnnr orrio ARTHUR WILSON AND JOHN ROBSON, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGN- ORS TO THE'VARIABLE SPEED GEAR, LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND.

CRANE AND OTHER HOISTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1915.

Application filed September 29, 1913. Serial No. 792,288.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR WILSON and JOHN RoBsoN, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Broadway Court, Westminster, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cranes and other Hoisting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cranes and other hoisting apparatusin which the mechanism is driven by an electric or other motor through the intermediary of a variable hydraulic transmission gear, the chief object being to provide improved means for operating and controlling the said mechanism.

According to this invention the variable hydraulic transmission gear comprises a single pump unit driven by the aforesaid electric or other motor, and a number of separate motor units of the required powerwhich are in fluid connection with the pump unit through the intervention of one or more distributing valves which are so arranged that pressure fluid from the pump unit can be admitted to any one of the said motor units as desired.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect we will describe the same more fully -with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 1s a plan showing a constructional .form of our improved actuating mechanism intended for use with cranes.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are ,diagrams showing the distributing valve in different positions Figs. 5 and 6 are respectivelya plan and a cross section showing a detail hereinafter described.

A is the electric or other motor and Bthe pump unit driven thereby.

C, C 0 represent motor units supplied with pressure fluid by the pump unit B.

D, D represent two distributing valves that are arranged in the pipes between the pump unit B and the motor units C, C, C

In the example shown (see particularly Fig. 1) the motor unitsC, C and C are adapted to actuate a hoisting drum 0, a traversing drum'o and a slewing pinion 0 respectively. The ports of the valve-plate of the pump unit B are connected by means of pipes b, b to the aforesaid distributing valves D, D", one ofthe pipes being a supply pipe and the other a return pipe. The

casing of the valve D is connected by pipes d, d, d to the valve-plates of the motor units C, C C respectively, these valveplates being also connected by pipes d, 03', d with the casing of the valve D". One series of the pipes d, d, d and d", d", d is the supply series and the other the return series. The said valves D, D are connected by a rod D with a control lever orhandle D which also serves to indicate which of the motor units C, C, C is in operative connection with the pump unit B. This lever is arranged contiguous to a handwheel E or the like that operates the control device of the said pump unit B so that one man is able to operate the lever D and the hand wheel E. The said lever is adapted to occupy any one of three posi tions indicated by. 1, 2 and 3 'in Fig. 1. The;

strict the movement of the control Wheel E so as to limit to the desired amount the fluid supplied to the smaller motor unit.

For this purpose the rod D that connects the lever D with the valves D, D is provided with a stop or projection D (Figs. i

5 and 6). The spindle E that transmits the movement of the hand wheel E- to the control device of the pump unit B, is also provided with a projection E which, when the rod D is in the position shown in Figs.

5 and 6, will come into contact with the stop D when the hand wheel E has been moved a predetermined extent. The parts D E assume the position shown in Fig. 5

only when the aforesaid. smaller unit is in. operation. When the stop D is in the position indicated by broken lines in Fig. 5, one of the other motor units is'in operation and the spindle E is therefore free to be moved to any desired extent. More than one stop D may be provided on the rod D if it is desired to limit the movement of the hand wheel .when the pump unit B is supplying pressure fluid to any of the motor units other than the one referred to above, the positions of the stops in relation to the projection (E being dependent upon the relationship between the capacities of the motor units and the pump unit. Figs. 5 and 6 show an additional stop D on the rod D.

The distributing valves D, D are of such a character that more than one motor unit cannot be at the same moment in operative connection with the pump unit B. For this purpose each of the valves and their valve casings may be constructed as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4:. lhese figures are assumed to show the valve D which, as illustrated, is of the rotary type and is formed with a transverse port 613 passing through its axis, and with two radial ports d d terminating at their inner ends in the port d The valve casing is formed with four ports d, d, d d communicating respectively with the aforesaid pipes b, d, d, d (Fig. l). The corresponding ports of the casing of the valve D communicate respectively with the pipes Z), 07*, cl, 03 Owing to the mechanical connection between the valves D, D", when the valve D is in the positions shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the valve D occupies corresponding positions.

In Fig. 2, the port (1 establishes communication between the ports d and ti and consequently between the pipes b and d. The valve D being in a similar position the pipes b, d are in communication and the pressure fluid from the pump unit B passes through the motor unit C. When the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the pipes Z), d and b, d are in communication and the pump unit B supplies the motor unit C Similarly when the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 4, the pipes b, d and 1), 03 are in communication and the motor unit C is then operated by the pump unit. When only one valve is provided it is formed with two separate series of ports (i d, d arranged in two different transverse planes,

the valve casing being then formed with eight ports arranged in two separate groups of four.

The crane may be of the kind adapted for the launching of ships boats as described in the specification of our application for patent filed concurrently herewith. The pump unit B of the variable hydraulic transmission gear may be of the kind set forth in the specification of the prior Patent No. 13894 of 1907 and the valve-plates of the pump unit and'the various motor units may communicate with a motive fluid replenishing tank E (Fig. l) which is not subjected to pressure.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a hoisting apparatus, the combination with a prime mover, a variable supply fluid pump, and a plurality of motors for eflecting the working of the apparatus, of conduits between the pump and the motors and means for preventing the pump from being in fluid connection with more than one motor at the same time.

2. In a hoisting apparatus, the combina tion with a prime mover, a variable supply fluid pump, and a plurality of motors for effecting the working of the apparatus, of conduits between the pump and the motors, and valve mechanism for preventing the pump from being in fluid connection with more than one motor at the same time.

3. In a hoisting apparatus, the combination with a prime mover, a variable supply fluid pump, and a plurality of motors for effecting the working of the apparatus, of conduits between the pump and the motors, and rotary valve mechanism for preventing the pump from being in fluid connection with more than one motor at the same time.

4. In a hoisting apparatus, the combination with a prime mover, a variable supply fluid pump and a plurality of motors for effecting the working of the apparatus, of conduits between said pump and the motors, a device for varying the supply of pressure fluid from the pump, means for distributing' the said pressure fiuid to any one of the motors, a device for actuating said means, and means cooperating between said devices for limiting the movement of the first mentioned device when the motor that is for the time being in communication with the pump has a smaller receiving capacity than the maximum output of the pump.

5. In 'a hoisting apparatus, the combination with a prime mover, a variable supply fluid pump, and a plurality of motors for efi'ecting the working of the apparatus, of conduits between said pump and the motors, a device for varying the supply of pressure fluid from the pump, means for preventing the pump unit from being in fluid connection with more than one motor at the same time, a device for actuating said means, and means cooperating between said devices for limiting the movement of the first men tioned device when the motor that is for the time being in communication with the pump fluid pump, and a plurality of motors for effecting the working of the apparatus, of

conduits between said pump and the motors,

a device for varying the supply of pressure fiuid from the pump, means for preventing the pump met from being in fluid connection with more than one motor at the same time, a device for actuating said means, and a member on each of said devices for coiiperating to limit the movement of the first mentioned device.

7. In a hoisting apparatus, the combination with a prime mover, a variable supply fluid pump, and a plurality of motors for effecting the working of the apparatus, of

conduits between said pump and the motors, a device for varying the supply of pressure fluid from the pump, means for preventing the pump unit from being in fluid connection with more than one motor 

